


Full Moon Cruise

by ThisIsLitaE



Category: Law & Order: SVU
Genre: Affection, Barisi - Freeform, Boats and Ships, Light Petting, M/M, Party, Pining, Protectiveness, Sweet, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings, Werewolf Reveal, Werewolves, Wolf Pack
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-12
Updated: 2020-10-12
Packaged: 2021-03-07 15:54:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,710
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26970220
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThisIsLitaE/pseuds/ThisIsLitaE
Summary: Rafael Barba and the werewolf prosecutors are on board their yacht for transformation night. Only this time, a clueless Dominick Carisi has been invited along by pack outcast, Isaiah Holmes. Despite his efforts to protect Dominick from the werewolf world, Rafael’s secrets are revealed under the full moon.
Relationships: Rafael Barba/Dominick "Sonny" Carisi Jr.
Comments: 5
Kudos: 40
Collections: Barisi Creatures Bingo





	Full Moon Cruise

The full moon was coming, which meant Rafael Barba once again prepared to board the _Wolfsbane_ yacht. The werewolf pack from the Manhattan District Attorney’s office did this every transformation night. Attendance on the yacht was mandatory per the pack leader and likely some other powers that be. Being on the water overnight allowed the lawyers to keep their secret ailment safe, at least for another month. Rafael also believed it kept certain trigger happy werewolves from further turning others.

Rafael signed in and gave that night’s password to the First Mate, who always performed a security check. In the three years he’d been on these cruises, Rafael had never understood the necessity of the procedure. It was always the same ten guests and the same four crew. Plus-ones were rarely admitted and only after intense screening by the pack leader. But it wasn’t like anyone wanted to bring their dates along.

Most of the others were already on board when Rafael arrived. As usual, they were mingling on the aft lower deck with their drinks in hand. Rafael gave a polite wave but wasn’t in the mood to join them right away. A certain level of mental preparation was required first. He moved to the upper deck with the quieter lounge area and the kitchen, where he could smell the food being prepared.

“Good evening, Mr Barba,” Marco, one of the yacht’s two servers, greeted him. As though anticipating his want for privacy, he had already set out a fresh bowl of barbeque peanuts on the table.

“Thank you, Marco,” Rafael replied as he fixed himself a scotch. One good thing about being inflicted with the werewolf curse was the DA’s office provided the good booze. He brought the bottle to the table with him, predicting it to be one of those nights.

Rafael sipped his drink with a sigh. He believed after so much time he’d be used to the werewolf transformation. It was merely one night a month that it affected him physically. But there were the real life consequences that came with keeping the secret. That night, Rafael had been invited out to celebrate his friend, Dominick Carisi, passing the bar. Not being able to go was hard enough but having to lie about why was excruciating. The disappointed look on Dominick’s face got to him more than he expected.

A voice interrupted his thoughts. “You know, you’re probably the one person that doesn’t get excited about a yacht party with free food.”

Jack McCoy waltzed into the room with the natural confidence of a pack leader. The older man hated the Alpha title but, given he was their boss at the office, it was the obvious choice. Even dressed in loose clothing for transformation, there was an unspoken command for respect. What McCoy lacked in traditional brute strength he more than made up for with his wisdom. No-one else could be trusted to handle the unique issues of Manhattan’s werewolf prosecutors.

Rafael popped some peanuts in his mouth. While he wasn’t in the mood to deal with people, he couldn’t exactly tell his boss to get lost. “It’s not the yacht party I’m ungrateful for, it’s everything that comes with it.”

“Well, it’s been three years. Brooding about it is not going to change the situation.” McCoy took a seat beside Rafael to relax. There was a mysterious glint in his eye. “Who knows, maybe this full moon will bring about a pleasant surprise.”

Rafael turned to his leader with curiosity. He knew McCoy didn’t say things without some kind of meaning. “What do you know that I don’t?”

Before McCoy could answer, Isaiah Holmes announced his presence with a greeting. Rafael’s mood soured at the voice of the man who turned him. He had never forgiven Isaiah over the passionate yet ultimately regrettable weekend that forever changed his life. The continued animosity between them was part of the reason Isaiah was allowed to transfer to the Queens DA’s office. The move away from Manhattan further cemented the man’s status as the pack outcast.

“Jack, thank you again for approving my guest for this evening.” Isaiah walked over to the couch but remained standing. “Rafael, I think you’ll be quite happy, given how fond you are of him.”

Rafael couldn’t shake the bad feeling from the comment. He stood up to meet Isaiah’s eyes. “I beg your pardon?”

“A night with lawyers seems like an appropriate way to celebrate passing the bar, wouldn’t you agree,” Isaiah replied. He gestured to the group on the lower deck. “He’s charming the others, already.”

Rafael looked out the window at the crowd below. His eyes widened and his face burned at the shocking sight. Among his fellow werewolf prosecutors stood Dominick Carisi. He was easy to spot in his work suit, being surrounded by lawyers in loose casual attire. The tall, handsome detective was chatting away to the group like he was at some kind of dinner party, oblivious to what lay ahead. Rafael squeezed his glass of scotch, nearly breaking it in his hand.

“You approved this?!” He spun to McCoy for answers, unable to stop himself from snapping at the leader. “Have you forgotten the reason it’s mandatory to be on this yacht in the first place?”

“There is no need to raise your voice, Rafael,” McCoy told him, calmly fixing himself a drink.

“Given his aspirations to follow in your footsteps, he was bound to find out about werewolves at some point,” Isaiah put a friendly hand on Rafael’s shoulder.

Rafael jerked away and raised a warning finger to the other lawyer. “If you turn him or hurt him in any way -”

At this point, McCoy had stood up from the couch to cut in. “No-one is being turned and no-one is hurting anyone. Are we clear?”

Rafael silently agreed, knowing it wasn’t a question but an order. He slammed his glass of scotch on the table and stormed downstairs to the lower deck for some air. It always baffled Rafael that Isaiah was allowed to stick around after turning him. Now, due to McCoy’s misplaced loyalty, the trigger happy wolf had dragged Dominick into their world.

While making his way along to the fore of the yacht, Rafael heard his name called out. He recognised Dominick’s voice immediately, wondering whether to stop or keep going. Knowing he couldn’t avoid Dominick unless he jumped overboard, Rafael allowed the detective to catch up. He took a deep breath of fresh air, still unprepared for the inevitable conversation.

“I was wondering where you were! Isn’t this amazing?” Dominick exclaimed, gesturing to the setting sun in the distance. “But you’re probably used to this by now.”

“What are you doing here?” Rafael hadn’t meant for the comment to come out as harsh as it did. All he wanted was to throw Dominick in one of the life boats and tell him to row far away.

“Professor Holmes invited me. He taught one of the classes at Fordham Law night school,” Dominick explained with a wide grin. “When he found out I passed the bar, he insisted I come and network. That way they can see me as a lawyer and not a cop.”

Rafael’s hand balled into a fist at the thought of Isaiah luring Dominick. He tried to remain calm but his true emotion was clear. “Well, boo-yah Fordham Law.”

“When Holmes told me you’d be here, I decided to rain check drinks with the precinct.” Dominick placed a hand on Rafael’s arm. Both his touch and his expression radiated warmth. “I wanted to celebrate passing, with you. Because I could not have done it without you, Rafael. To tell you the truth, I’m a little hurt you didn’t invite me to this.”

Rafael couldn’t help but feel guilty. He focused his attention on the water. The breeze was doing nothing to calm his flushed face. “There was a reason for that.”

Dominick’s happy mood faded as he was confused by his mentor’s behaviour. “What’s the matter? I thought you’d be happy for me.” He tried to meet Rafael’s eyes again, to no avail. “But I’m getting the feeling you’re pissed that I’m here.”

“It’s complicated,” Rafael answered with a sigh. The last thing he wanted was for Dominick to be blindsided. But Rafael knew, no matter how eloquent an explanation, there was no way he’d be believed.

“What, do you think I’ll embarrass you in front of your colleagues or something?” Dominick snapped, throwing his hands up in frustration. “I know sometimes I can be -”

“I was trying to keep you safe, Carisi!”

The outburst caused Dominick to pause for a moment. When he spoke again, his voice was noticeably quieter. “Safe, from what? If there is something shady going on, you can talk to me.”

Rafael stared out at the setting sun, knowing it would all become clear in a few minutes. “You’ll find out, soon enough.”

Dominick shook his head, fed up with Rafael’s cryptic antics. “You know, I’ll always admire you, Rafael. But sometimes you make it really hard to like you.”

Rafael felt the sting of the parting comment as Dominick walked away. He had tried to keep the detective at a professional distance, lest things get complicated. However, Dominick always found a way to get through Rafael’s defences and show he truly cared. Complicated feelings had developed over the course of working together. On a few occasions, Rafael had been tempted to act on them. But there was always the fear of how Dominick would react to the werewolf inside of him.

Watching the darkness slowly setting in, Rafael headed to the aft with the others. Even if Dominick wouldn’t talk to him, he could at least watch out for the other man when it all happened. Isaiah evidently had a similar plan, sidling up to Dominick and handing him a drink. Rafael fought the urge to run up and push Isaiah overboard, as it would just get him in more trouble with Dominick and Jack respectively.

Little signs indicated the countdown to the critical moment. There was the loud music coming from the Staten Island Party Wolves yacht, the twenty something werewolves who believed they were special. Kenneth O’Dwyer and Amber Abraham were sneaking up to the yacht staterooms together, as adultery apparently didn’t count in werewolf form. Clothes were being removed as the others no doubt felt the same uncontrollable tingling Rafael did.

When the sun disappeared, the full moon beamed brightly to signal the time of transformation. Rafael tried to keep an eye on Dominick but the scene became chaotic. Hair began to sprout as his body grew and contorted into his wolf form. His senses were heightening and the various scents filled his nostrils. Once his change was complete, Rafael let out the customary howl. A chorus erupted all around him as each ADA became a fully formed wolf.

Rafael managed to spot Dominick amongst the fray. The detective looked confused and scared, searching around for any means of escape. Rafael made his way across the deck, slowly as not to scare the man further. Scotty, the yacht’s other server, had rushed over to reassure Dominick about everything.

“What the hell is all of this?” Dominick cried out, his voice husky and breathing shallow.

“It’s okay, Mr Carisi. They will not hurt you. Did no-one tell you about the transformations?” Scotty was explaining apologetically to the shaken man. He was pointing out the different wolves, advising that they were all just people he knew. “See, the big silver one is Mr Jack McCoy. He is the leader and he makes sure no harm comes to us humans, okay?”

Rafael got close enough to catch Dominick’s unique musk. He gazed into the ice blue eyes, hoping that Dominick could somehow recognise him. It was odd trying to communicate without using words, particularly as talking was such a huge part of his job. Rafael was grateful that Scotty was there to comfort the detective, since he couldn’t properly do so. He noticed the slightest hint of recognition as Dominick started to calm down.

“That is Mr Rafael Barba, right there. You can tell by the dark brown hair with a little bit of silver,” Scotty said as he gestured towards Rafael. He then turned to the other wolf next to Dominick. “Mr Isaiah Holmes is there. He is the one who invited you. You see, his hair is shorter with a mix of dark and silver.”

“It’s okay, Dominick. It’s just me,” Isaiah was communicating. It was a pointless gesture, as only other wolves could hear the telepathic message. Like Rafael, he kept inching closer to Dominick.

“KEEP AWAY FROM HIM!”

Rafael leaped in front of Dominick, baring all of his wolf teeth at Isaiah with a fierce growl. He stared the other wolf down, feeling a surge of power rush through him. Rafael had never fully given in to his werewolf side before but he was prepared to do anything to protect Dominick. His rage had inadvertently attracted the attention of the others on board, including the Alpha.

“Rafael! Calm down and take a walk!” Jack McCoy’s voice echoed sternly in his mind.

Scotty continued whispering to Dominick. “You see, Mr Holmes is the one who turned Mr Barba into a werewolf. I think Mr Barba is trying to protect you.”

At overhearing the server’s words, Rafael realised that his snarling did nothing to ease Dominick’s anxiety. He softened his expression and turned back to the detective. He tried to convey with his eyes the apology that couldn’t be expressed verbally. Dominick was looking at him in awe, but it was clear he was beginning to understand. Rafael inched closer, taking in the man’s aroma once more. Not having traditional use of his human body, he nuzzled at Dominick’s fingers with his snout. Rafael kept up the gentle gesture, hoping to convey that he wasn’t a threat.

“I would never hurt Dominick,” Isaiah’s voice cut in. “Can you stop thinking the worst of me so we can finally bury the hatchet?”

Rafael turned his attention to the other wolf, calmer but still cautious. “I’m just trying to keep him safe.”

“Please. The only one you’ve been watching out for is yourself,” Isaiah replied sharply.

Rafael scoffed, which came out as a grunt in his wolf form. “That’s ridiculous.”

“You don’t believe that someone could ever see passed the wolf to love you for who you are. Even when that someone is right in front of you.”

Proving Isaiah’s point, Rafael felt fingers softly carding through his head fur. Shutting his eyes, he let out a pleasured whimper. He nudged towards the hand, seeking more of the touch. A scratch behind the ears had Rafael wanting to let out a howl to the moon. Opening his eyes again, Rafael found Dominick smiling at him. Taking in the handsome face, everything and everyone else ceased to matter.

“This may take some getting used to,” Dominick said, looking around at the wolf party surrounding him.

Scotty gestured towards the stairs heading to the upper decks. “Come with me, Mr Carisi. We can answer all your questions.”

As Scotty led Dominick away, Rafael made a move to follow. First he turned back towards Isaiah, figuring he should say something, but the other wolf had gone to mingle. Rafael bounced over to the stairs and followed the two humans to the upper lounge room, where he was relieved to find no more wolves in sight.

“I’m going to need some of this,” Dominick went straight for the vodka, adding a few ice cubes to his glass. He downed the drink in one and promptly made another. “Do you want a drink, Rafael? Wait, can you even understand me?”

“Mr Barba can understand everything you’re saying. Though he can only talk back with the other werewolves,” Scotty explained. He poured some scotch into a glass bowl, setting it down on the floor for Rafael.

“Taking away Rafael’s ability to talk, now there’s the real super power at work,” Dominick quipped.

Rafael looked up from his scotch and gave a low growl in response. He found it adorable when Dominick held up his hands in surrender. The detective bent down to pat his head again, reassuring him that his remark was a joke. Rafael loved Dominick’s constant touching, especially while being surrounded by the scent of him.

“Dinner will be ready in about twenty minutes. There is a balcony area passed the kitchen if you want some air…or some privacy,” Scotty motioned towards a door, the implication of his comment written all over his face.

Rafael padded on ahead towards the balcony. The door had been left propped open, a measure of convenience for when the wolves couldn’t use their hands. Rafael nudged his way outside, feeling the night breeze in his fur. Dominick stepped out after, placing the bowl of scotch beside Rafael. He stroked Rafael’s head again, before pulling his hand away.

“Sorry, is this weird?” Dominick asked, his hand hovering. “I mean you’re still human underneath all this and I keep petting you like a giant dog.”

When put in that perspective, Rafael saw how it was a little strange. All he had cared about was how good it felt when Dominick caressed his fur. It wasn’t like anything else on transformation night could be considered normal. Rafael was just relieved that the man he had feelings for wasn’t running from his wolf form. He nudged at Dominick’s hand to signal that touching was okay.

Dominick took a seat on the closest deck chair so he could meet Rafael’s eye line. “Listen, I want to apologise for before. You really were trying to look out for me.” His face was serious as he spoke. “Though, I probably wouldn’t have believed the whole werewolf thing if you did tell me. I guess it goes without saying that your secret is safe with me.”

Rafael gave his best nod with his wolf head to show he understood. He was relieved to have been wrong about Isaiah’s intentions. He should have known McCoy would not have led Dominick into any danger.

“I want you to know, this whole thing doesn’t change how I see you. You help me grow and you’ll always be important to me.” Dominick’s hand buried deep into Rafael’s fur, rubbing the strong neck. “Heck, I’ve been working so hard to impress you. No point in stopping now, right?”

Rafael wished more than anything that he could speak properly. Hearing how important he was to Dominick touched him. He wanted to tell the man how he truly felt, without the usual snarky banter. Since Rafael couldn’t use his words, he decided to use a rather unorthodox method of communication. Hoping it would come off as playful, he stretched up and gave a quick lick to Dominick’s cheek.

“Normally I invite my date to dinner before I let them lick me,” Dominick joked.

Rafael was amused when the detective paused, realising exactly what had been said. It wasn’t the way he’d pictured Dominick asking him out on a date. But the fact it was done while Rafael was in wolf form helped cement Dominick’s acceptance of the affliction. Inside, Rafael began chuckling happily, causing the wolf to let out a few sniffs.

Dominick made an awkward attempt to smooth things over. “I mean, if you wanted, when you’re human again. I wouldn’t mind taking you for dinner. Unless, the whole wolf thing is too complicated.” He shook his head and waved a dismissive hand. “Forget I said it, don’t listen to me.”

As he watched Dominick rub his forehead and try to shake off his embarrassment, Rafael felt more endeared to him than ever. There was always something about Dominick Carisi that drew him in, even when he tried to turn away. With a little eye roll, Rafael knew he had to show Dominick he was ecstatic about a date with him. He nudged at the detective’s wrist and licked at the skin until Dominick laughed.

“I’ll take that as a yes.” Dominick cupped Rafael’s snout, making their eyes meet. “I’ll try not to bug you with too many questions. This is a lot to take in but I want to make it work. So, if I overstep, you can tell me.”

Rafael was stunned by Dominick’s words. In all his doubts about pursuing a relationship, he’d never imagined someone else being the insecure one. It warmed his heart to know that Dominick wanted to make it work with him. Rafael vowed that, once he could speak again, he would shower the other man with compliments and sweet nothings.

The two of them sat in a comfortable silence and gazed out at the water. A few stray howls rang out into the night. Rafael wondered what they were celebrating. When he felt Dominick scratch behind his ear, the wolf could no longer hold back. Rafael let out a loud howl of his own, to let the world know he had found someone special.

Dominick leaned back in his chair and stared up at the full moon. “Maybe I should let out a howl for passing the bar, what do you think?” He let out his best attempt at a howl and dissolved into laughter.

Rafael wanted to melt at how adorable Dominick looked. He nudged under the man’s arm until it was around his neck. Dominick smiled at him, eyes lighting up with love. Rafael never thought someone would look at him that way after seeing his wolf form. Dominick leaned in and bestowed a gentle kiss on his forehead, causing tingles throughout his body. Another celebratory howl sounded from the ADA.

“Well, wait until I can kiss you for real,” Dominick commented, massaging the back of Rafael’s neck. “Unless I’m making assumptions and that howl wasn’t about me.”

Rafael let out a little wolf groan in response. He moved to rest his head on Dominick’s lap, feeling more comfortable than ever. McCoy had been right, it was turning out to be the best full moon cruise of his werewolf life. Still, he couldn’t wait to be with Dominick in human form.

**Author's Note:**

> *Barisi Creatures Bingo - WEREWOLF (One more to go for bingo)  
> *I ended up with so many ideas for this story I had to chop and change a lot  
> *What did you think of Alpha McCoy and the Isaiah/Raf backstory?  
> *Building up Barisi intimacy when Rafael can't talk - a little challenging.  
> *Thank you for reading - comments and kudos are always appreciated.


End file.
